Sunday DIY: Nailed it for your paint' job

Nail polish bottles are forever getting lost in drawers and bathroom cabinets. Make them a stand and they'll be easy to find. Photo / Michael Craig

Greig Morgan's nifty polish rack will be just the ticket for your Santa claws.

I've been asked to make a nail polish stand many times so here is a great project that will please girls of all ages. It can be a birthday or a Christmas present, especially if you throw in a few bottles of nail polish as well.

Step 1
Set the guide on your skill saw to cut your 16mm MDF 80mm wide for the depth of your frame. Now measure and cut to length your top, bottom and side pieces. I cut the sides long enough to allow for equally spaced shelves.

Step 2
Set the guide again to cut the 12mm MDF 65mm wide for the depth of your shelves. Measure and cut to length 32mm less than your top and bottom framing.

Step 3
Lay the side pieces together and flush top and bottom. Starting at the bottom, measure up 100mm for the bottom of the shelves, then mark up 6mm for the centre and the top of the shelf.

Step 4
With the sides now marked out for shelf spacings, set your marking gauge to scribe the shelf centre points, in 15mm at the back and 30mm at the front edge. For shelves set the marking gauge to scribe the centre on both ends, then set the gauge 15mm in, front and back on both ends.

Step 5
Using a 6mm drill bit, drill the shelves and side pieces to the centre marks about 9mm deep before gluing and fitting the dowels. Note: cut the dowels in half first. With all the dowels fitted to both side pieces, add glue to the holes and along the centre between the holes, then fit shelves into the dowels and tap the side piece down with a rubber mallet.

Step 6
With the rack now assembled, use clamps to give the shelves a tight joint. Remove these once the glue has set (about 24 hours). Now measure and cut your 6mm MDF back board to fit flush right around with the outside.

Step 7
Fit the back board with evenly spaced panel pins, before sanding the entire unit with 80grit sandpaper. Be sure to remove all the sharp edges, and finish with 150 sandpaper. Now it's ready for primer undercoat and a light sanding with 220 wet&dry sandpaper between top coats. Once that is completed you can fix your polish rack to the wall.

Tips • Before drilling, check to make sure that the gauged marks line up with each other.

• Measure twice; cut once.

• Wrap a piece of tape around the drill bit to ensure the hole depth is correct.

Materials:

16mm MDF (frame)
12mm MDF (shelves)
6mm MDF (back)
6mm dowels
PVA glue
20mm panel pin nails
80g & 150g sandpaper
220 wet&dry sandpaper
Paint
Tools
Mitre saw
Skill saw
Screw gun
6mm drill bit
Marking gauge
Tape measure
Rubber mallet
Sash clamps
Square
Pencil
Hammer
Finishing sander
Speedbrush